Light OS for PC?

doctorrobert · January 7, 2007 7:10PM

Until I buy a Mac on March or April, I want to install some light OS to replace (complement, really) my slow-booting, and -running XP setup. Would it be practical to get some flavor of Linux for just browsing the web with Firefox, instant messaging (Gaim or aMSN, I guess?), and some other basic tasks? If so, which one, or where could I read up on this?

(I have two partitions, and really don't want to format either--does this complicate things?)

kickaha · January 7, 2007 7:52PM

For the headache you'd have, I'd suggest just toughing it out for a couple of months.

\

doctorrobert · January 7, 2007 8:08PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kickaha

For the headache you'd have, I'd suggest just toughing it out for a couple of months.

\

Haha, really? So there's not one distribution of Linux that is easy to install and run for simple ol' Firefox and OO.o or whatever? That sounds like a waste.

And if curiosity drove me to confront the possibility of headaches (at least to wherever down the process I get), what'd be the choice? I read Ubuntu and SUSE are supposed to at least attempt at ease.

kickaha · January 7, 2007 8:17PM

I hear good things about Ubuntu, as being relatively trouble-free for setup and such.

I was perhaps too flip, since obviously setting up a simple Linux system *is* doable - I've just come to the realization in the past year that often, 'simple things' are a lot more trouble than they're worth. :}

doctorrobert · January 7, 2007 8:35PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kickaha

I hear good things about Ubuntu, as being relatively trouble-free for setup and such.

I was perhaps too flip, since obviously setting up a simple Linux system *is* doable - I've just come to the realization in the past year that often, 'simple things' are a lot more trouble than they're worth. :}

Cool.

Yeah, purism tends to drive me to inefficient practices--one should monitor marginal cost-benefit constantly. Anyway, my XP setup has become very slow and annoying, so I'm looking to streamline (though it might turn into just experimenting).

splinemodel · January 7, 2007 9:53PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DoctorRobert

Would it be practical to get some flavor of Linux for just browsing the web with Firefox, instant messaging (Gaim or aMSN, I guess?), and some other basic tasks?

Yes. Almost any distro will do, and they are all very configurable. This is something of a mixed blessing. I've not tried Ubuntu, but SuSe was fairly easy to setup. It took a little bit of time for me to customize some of the things, but these were all kind-of esoteric features. Given that MS has latched it s claws into Novell, the next Linux machine I set up will not be SuSe. I will have to try Ubuntu.

gikku · January 11, 2007 6:03AM

PCLinuxOS Minime is only 250MB (or thereabouts), is a good linux distro with enough to get you started then you can download whatever it is you like, such as Firefox. 8)

doctorrobert · January 11, 2007 9:16AM

Cool, thanks.

I'll be steering clear of SUSE.

Especially nice of PCLinuxOS seems to be

"

Configuring printers to work under Linux can be a challenge for non-technical users. PCLinuxOS is capable of automatically recognizing and installing appropriate drivers for a wide range of printers.

"

(Wikipedia)

kickaha · January 11, 2007 9:19AM

Hmm, I thought Ubuntu did that as well, with CUPS. A coworker of mine just did the research on this, and went with Ubuntu after trying SUSE and pulling his hair out to get even simple things working.

gwoodpecker · January 11, 2007 12:53PM

Ubuntu is a very nice Linux distro to work with. I've been using it for about two years now. All you need is there right on one single CD (Web browser, e-mail app, calendar, address book, OpenOffice etc.) and you can add almost anything you want later over the internet.

Light OS for PC?

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